George Francis Hill

Sir George Francis Hill KCB ( born December 22, 1867 in Baharampur, † October 18, 1948 in London) was a British numismatist.

George Francis Hill was the son of the missionary Samuel John Hill and grandson of the missionary Micaiah Hill. He spent the first four years of life with his family in Bengal. 1872 the family moved to London, where the later Hill Blackheath attended college. Subsequently, he studied at University College London, where he influenced the archaeologist Alfred Goodwin, and from 1888 onwards at Merton College, University of Oxford at the numismatist Percy Gardner, who gave him his first insight into the ancient coinage. Hill graduated with a double first class degree in Classical Philology from (1889, 1891). Subsequently, he held lectures, but was unable to obtain permanent job at the college.

1893 Hill received a place in the Minting department at the British Museum. There he became a leading expert of ancient and early modern coinage. Together with Barclay Vincent Head and Warwick Wroth he edited the Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum, which was published until 1927 in 29 volumes. Hill worked themselves six volumes of the series, which dealt with linguistically and historically very complex regions. These volumes were much appreciated by their palaeographical, topographical, economic, and religious studies, comments standard works. In addition, Hill reported regularly on numismatic New Acquisitions of the British Museum, and served from 1898 to 1912 as editor of the Journal of Hellenic Studies and the Numismatic Chronicle ( 1912-1930 ). From 1912 he was curator of the coin department, from 1931 until his retirement (1936 ) Director and Chief Librarian of the British Museum. Under his directorship, the British Museum acquired in 1933 the Codex Sinaiticus of the Soviet Union, and ( together with the Victoria and Albert Museum ), the oriental antiquities collection of the collector George Eumorfopoulus.

For his service as a museum managers and scientists Hill has received numerous honors. He was elected member of the British Academy ( since 1917 ), the Academy of Sciences in Vienna ( corresponding member since 1936), the Society of Antiquaries of London (temporarily Vice President), the Royal Numismatic Society, the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies, the Society for the promotion of Roman Studies and the German Archaeological Institute ( corresponding member since 1906). In 1929 he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath, Knight Commander, 1933. He was also a Fellow of University College London and Honorary Fellow of Merton College, and honorary doctorates from the universities at Oxford and Cambridge.

Writings (selection )

  • Sources for Greek History. London, 1907. 2nd edition, London 1951
  • Coins of Ancient Sicily. Westminster 1903
  • Historical Greek Coins. London 1906
  • Historical Roman Coins. London 1909
  • The Gustave Dreyfus Collection of Renaissance Medals. Oxford 1931
  • A History of Cyprus. Four volumes, Cambridge 1940-1952
  • The following volumes of the Catalogue of Greek Coins in the British Museum processed Hill: Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia. London 1897 (BMC Greek 19)
  • Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lycaonia, Isauria, and Cilicia. London 1900 ( BMC Greek 21)
  • Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Cyprus. London 1904 ( BMC Greek 24)
  • Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Phoenicia. London 1910 ( BMC Greek 26)
  • Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Palestine. London 1914 (BMC Greek 27)
  • Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia. London 1922 ( BMC Greek 28)
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